


Animus

by Yobotica



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Bittersweet, just in case, maybe an angst warning too, sometimes more bitter than sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-04-29 17:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5136587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yobotica/pseuds/Yobotica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt on the kinkmeme: </p><p>"I've seen a lot of fics where someone from an Assassin's life who died welcomes them to the afterlife, the majority being Connor. I think I've seen one for Desmond, but I'm not sure.<br/>I love those, but what I'd like to see is Desmond welcoming someone to the afterlife."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Desmond felt like he'd spent his whole life waiting. He'd waited for his father to see him, then waited for the right time to escape disappointment (both his father's and his own). Once he _had_ escaped, he'd waited for his old life to catch up with him, and after he'd decided it hadn't, waited for the sense of peace he thought he'd find without it. Then Vidic had captured him, and all he felt he could do was wait for death. Somehow, that hadn't happened, but it wasn't any better with the Assassins, was it, because the wait became a countdown to insanity, for the end of the world that he privately feared they wouldn't be able to stop.

If he'd ever thought about what came after death, he would have at least assumed he'd be done waiting, but that's the funny thing about dying - you're still waiting, only at least you're not alone while you do it.

See, the moment you die, you're greeted by all the currently deceased souls of those you'd touched in your life, however briefly.For Desmond, there hadn't been a lot, but more than he would have expected, had he known what to expect at all. Those he hadn't known well had been there only briefly, only meeting his eyes before they faded away. Those who'd stayed behind he figured were those who he'd known best - or, judging by the three that stayed, those who'd had the greatest impact on his life.

Of the three, Desmond was least surprised by Daniel, his former friend & roommate. Daniel had moved to New York shortly before Desmond himself, had worked at Bad Weather (had, in fact, gotten Desmond the job), but who had started running with a bad crowd despite Desmond's worries. He'd taken Desmond under his wing and shown him the most of what the 'free world' had to offer. He'd never looked down on Desmond for being so ignorant of things, not once. However, he'd died of an overdose only two years after moving to New York. In the afterlife, though, Daniel grinned at him and offered his hand only to pull Desmond close and hug him, had thanked him for trying to save him back in New York. Then he stepped back so Desmond could see the next person waiting for him.

Clay's presence definitely unexpected, because they hadn't ever actually _met._ Desmond had only ever interacted with a fragment - a simulation - but right there, in the strange non-space of death, he _knew_ Clay, and Clay knew him. It wasn't even strange how comforting his presence was, free of the insanity that had led to his death (but not quite free of the bitterness it left behind). Clay actually smiled and clapped Desmond on the back, muttering that he was sorry he couldn't warn him better about what he'd seen coming.  
Desmond had only shaken his head and embraced him; there was nothing at all to forgive.

Most surprising, however, had been Lucy. She'd ultimately betrayed them, after all, and Desmond had killed her. But she welcomed him with a bright smile and a warm hug, and had shared her memories with him. He'd seen that she'd been scared, and lonely, and had only done what she truly believed was best for the world. Desmond couldn't even attempt to summon any anger at her - not only because it would be beyond pointless now.

She and Clay had taken his hands and Daniel had led him forward, somehow leaving his body, his friends, and his father behind as he entered the Beyond.

========

The Beyond wasn't anything like Desmond could have predicted. There was no heaven or hell, nothing that even felt like a place, as there were no senses with which to experience such. Instead, the Beyond was like a shared consciousness that offered a connection to every soul currently present, but without any loss of 'self'. It was "we", but also "I". You could touch/taste/experience another's life and memories (often, he discovered, lives), but you could also elect not to. There was no concept of 'place' or 'location', and yet it was possible that you could avoid interacting with certain souls if you wished. He imagined it was very like a sea, like they were all individual droplets that could move as they pleased, with no physical rules binding them in any way.

It wasn't bad. Here, he found the freedom and peace he'd always sought. Except, of course, that one thing: he was still fucking waiting.

========

Thing is, in the Beyond, he was never alone, but Desmond couldn't help but wonder about those he'd left behind. Some souls left, ready for their next life, but Desmond couldn't. Well, he _could_ , actually; there were opportunities all the time, but he wanted to see at least a few people before he moved on. Before he forgot them. (Vidic, he'd learned, had reincarnated almost immediately after arriving. This didn't actually surprise Desmond all that much.)

So, he waited. He wanted, most of all, to see his family, his friends - especially Rebecca & Shaun; both of whom he hadn't known long, but had grown rather fond of. Each time someone he'd known died, he was called somehow, to their death; he visited the physical plane a little while before their death, able to watch their last moments before their souls left their bodies. But he never stayed to guide anyone Beyond, only greeted them and returned himself. He figured he'd be there for those he was waiting for; he hoped he would, at any rate.

He found out for certain three years later, when the felt the call more strongly than he'd ever felt before. He knew, somehow, _knew_ that it was for his father.

========

William had resigned from the Assassins when Desmond had died - Desmond knew that much. Even where he was, he could watch the events in the 'real world' whenever he chose to. Some souls had done it for thousands of years, never choosing to reincarnate. But Desmond didn't like to watch too much; he could only see and hear things from the physical plane and he had no idea if grief was his father's motivator - and the hope was hard to sustain, made the wait harder to bear somehow, even in this timeless not-void.

Now that he'd followed the pull, he could see his father, inhabited a non-corporeal facsimile of his body again as he watched his father's last moments. William had - eventually - rejoined the Assassins, if no longer as the Mentor. Instead, he'd joined various teams researching the artifacts. He'd let his fascination turn into purpose; he might not have the right genes to use them, but he could help pinpoint what exactly _was_ needed. He'd even made some progress using Desmond's genes as a base, but Desmond knew from his own presence here and now that that was as far as he'd get. The rest would have to fall to someone else's shoulders.

Desmond didn't know how long it would be, actually. More waiting, of course, _somehow_. So he looked around at all who were waiting with him. There were far more than when he himself had died. Many, Desmond knew, were Assassins. Lucy was here, as was Clay. A few, Desmond recognized as kids who'd grown up on the same farm, though most of them had aged since the last time he'd seen them. But only he and Lucy felt substantial - even Clay was less present, somehow, less solid.

"He trained me, after you left," Lucy said, even though they both knew he knew - he'd seen her memories, after all. He'd seen Clay's, too, after his transition. He'd seen his father approach a young Clay, praise his potential, take him in and train him. There had been bitterness there, for Desmond, but it was short lived. He just couldn't sustain it - certainly not like Clay could - and Clay himself held the memory as bittersweet at best.

William was just sitting at his desk, typing something on his computer, when an alarm sounded, followed by not-quite-distant gunfire. William glanced up, frowned, and started typing faster. Desmond hoped he was saving everything to a cloud or uploading it elsewhere. Possibly he was deleting everything. William waited a moment, then immediately began destroying his computer and notes - quickly, but with far more calm than Desmond would have ever been able to manage.

Though Desmond was no stranger to action, everything happened more quickly (and with less fanfare) than he'd have thought. One moment William was stuffing all the paper he could reach into the trash fire he'd started, and the next, he was already dying, shot by a man who'd just opened the door. One more shot rang out, and it was over, William's body slumping against the wall after the second bullet tore though his head.

The man who entered set about putting out the fire, but Desmond already didn't care. He felt the physical world recede as his father's spirit stood up from his prone body and looked at all those who were here for him, eyes wide with surprise - or perhaps fear. Maybe even a mixture of both. But when he spotted Desmond, he lurched into action, grabbed Desmond by the arm to haul him into a rough embrace.

"Son," he gasped into Desmond's shoulder, and Desmond _knew_ then; finally felt seen, known, _loved_ by his father. Desmond let out a sob that he felt he'd been waiting his whole life to release and clutched at his father in return. He only let go when Lucy tapped him on the shoulder and offered her own open arms to William.

William hesitated a moment.

"Bill," she murmured, soft and sad, and William sighed, shook his head, and hugged her anyway.

"Oh, Lucy, if I'd known," he whispered, and Desmond could feel his father's devastation at how he'd let down so many who'd loved him simply by not letting them know he'd felt the same. Like Lucy, however, he'd honestly thought he was doing the right thing.

Lucy smiled, though William couldn't see it. "I know," she said and his father sighed again and let her go.

Clay got a handshake, and an apology that Desmond felt more than heard.  
There were a lot of greetings for William to make, but in the end, only five remained to escort William to the Beyond, and Desmond was one of them. He'd never done this before, but he knew how, instinctively. He took his father's arm, Lucy took the other, and the others were just behind.

Together, they led him forward.


	2. Chapter 2

Desmond had realized by now that somehow he was different from most other souls that he encountered, but it wasn't until he saw his father that he realized just how: most souls had experienced more than one life. It was only after the transition to the Beyond that any previous memories made themselves known - Desmond thought maybe this was a comfort thing, so you could see those you remembered without any previous memories making things more complicated.

And sure, there were some that hadn't, but they were usually very old. Desmond, however... he was _new._ No previous lives before this one. Oddly enough, Clay was the same. Desmond got the feeling that Clay was willing or ready to be reborn, but that he was waiting for something. What for, exactly, Desmond didn't know and Clay didn't share.

Everyone that remained in the Beyond was waiting, though. That seemed to be the theme. Waiting to be reunited with someone, or waiting for the chance to be born at the same time as another soul. It wasn't just him, but there actually wasn't very much comfort in that.

William was waiting for his wife; Lucy waited for Rebecca; Clay for whatever he waited for; and Desmond for the only three people left on earth that actually meant anything to him.

He'd honestly expected to see his mother first; she was older, after all. Wasn't that the expectation?

But it wasn't his mother that joined them next.

It was Rebecca.

========

When Desmond opened his eyes on the physical plane again, it was with the knowledge that only six months had passed since his father's death. He was one of the first to arrive, and glanced around as others started appearing. Lucy had arrived before him, actually. His father was there, and Clay - both of them insubstantial in comparison to Lucy and himself. He could tell they wouldn't stay long.

They were all in an alley, small and dirty, and Rebecca was on the ground against the side of one of the buildings, hand shakily pressed to her abdomen, blood seeping out around her fingers alarmingly fast. She wasn't even applying pressure anymore. There was a man stripping her of her tech; her headphones and glove were already on the ground next to the man and he was rifling through her pockets, jostling her roughly. She was quiet in a way Desmond never associated with Rebecca, staring at him with wide eyes, and he could hear her rough, heavy breaths. The other sounds of the area - traffic, birds, the hum of civilization - were all muted, far away.

Just a few feet from them was the body of another man, already dead. Desmond knew none of the souls he could see still gathering were for him - he couldn't describe how he knew this, he just _did._

Finally, Rebecca laughed, and spit at the man who'd found her phone and was checking it for damage. "It's worthless to you," she laughed, though it was thready, weak.

The man only wiped away the spit, smirked at her. "Maybe so," he agreed. "But not to my boss." He pocketed the phone quickly, patting down her legs for anything else she might have hidden.

"No," she panted. "They're never even gonna see it," she said, coughing and leaning back, sagging against the wall in a way that spoke of resignation.

"Why's that?," he grunted, reaching for the items he'd set aside earlier, shoving them into a pack at his side.

"Because you're dead," she murmured, looking beyond him, and he started to turn only to be jerked forward into the pavement beside her, bleeding from the neck. Shaun had arrived, and he wasted no time before he rushed forward, shooting the man a few more times for good measure before he shoved the man aside roughly to kneel next to Rebecca.

His eyes widened when he saw the amount of blood, saw exactly where she'd been stabbed.

"Christ, no, Rebecca," he gasped, moving closer, hands moving uselessly over her. "No, you cant!"

She offered a weak grin. "Had to happen sometime," she replied.

"Not to you, though, not... You can't leave me, Rebecca, I'll be all alone. You can't, do you hear me?!" He sounded frantic and Desmond knew there were tears in his eyes. Desmond hadn't ever seen Shaun like this, almost hated to be here for such a private moment - it was humbling. "Please," he begged softly, hands moving to her shoulders, gentle in a way that Desmond would have sworn Shaun hadn't known how to be.

"Sorry, buddy," she whispered, and Shaun sobbed out a rough breath at that. She leaned her head towards one of his hands, and sighed, hand falling away from the wound.

Shaun only moved closer, held her despite the blood staining his clothes. "No," he breathed, though Desmond had no trouble hearing him. "No, please, Becca...."

That was when she took her last, shuddering breath, and the world started to fade away around them - and Shaun with it. Lucy was the first at Rebecca's side, helping her up.

"Come on, Becs, it's time to go," she said, one arm going around Rebecca's shoulders. Shaun's cries were the last to fade, lingering heavy in the non-atmosphere they inhabited.

"Lucy?," Rebecca asked, pulling Lucy into a fierce hug, then looked around, smile growing as she saw all those who were here to greet her - some of whom faded almost as soon as she'd seen them. But then she glanced behind her, where the scene of her death had been. "What about Shaun?," she asked.

Lucy smiled softly. "He's on his own for now. We can't help him."

Rebecca looked like she wanted to argue, but glanced at the souls remaining. "So that's it, huh?," she asked, only a trace of bitterness in her voice.

"For now," Lucy replied. "C'mon, there's people waiting to see you." She led Rebecca towards Desmond first. When Rebecca saw him, she lit up and launched herself at him - and he caught her, holding her close.

'Hey, Rebecca," he laughed.

She laughed with him. "It's so good to see you!," she murmured into his shoulder, then pulled away. "All of you," she said to the others remaining.

Desmond felt his part here was over - he'd see her again, maybe even soon, but they hadn't actually been that close before he'd died. He wasn't one who could guide her over, and followed the tug that pulled him back to the Beyond.

Lucy, though. Lucy stayed.

========

Sometime later, Desmond encountered Rebecca again. She, like Lucy, had past lives to acclimate to - those memories only resurfaced after you've been guided to the Beyond. She shared some of those memories with Desmond; she actually had dozens of lives, far more than either his father or Lucy, but that wasn't really surprising to Desmond at all. She told him she was only waiting for Shaun before she'd reincarnate - it wasn't exactly that she was hoping to be reincarnated on Earth at the same time as him (as many people did, though Desmond didn't know if that actually worked out), but rather that it was important to her that she be there for his death; she had no doubt she'd be one of the souls guiding him. She was certain Desmond would be, too, but Desmond couldn't imagine why that would be; he hadn't been there for Rebecca's after all, and he'd known Shaun for the same amount of time.

She didn't hang around Desmond too often. For a while, she'd seek Lucy out, but Lucy chose to reincarnate a little while after Rebecca died, since it was what she'd been waiting for.

Rebecca, of course, wished her luck. Sometimes, she'd check up on Shaun, and sometimes, Desmond would join her, curious. Honestly? He'd expected Shaun to be the next one to join them after Rebecca had, but he wasn't.

Turns out that Mary, Desmond's mother was next.


	3. Chapter 3

For something that Desmond had been expecting, his mother's death still came as a surprise. Desmond hadn't actually encountered his father too much in the Beyond - just occasionally, and the warmth from William's initial passing had faded somewhat. There was fondness there, yes, and recognition, but they didn't have any more common ground now that they were both dead than they'd had when they were both alive.

But when he was pulled to Earth again, he knew what he was there for. _Who_ he was there for. His father was already present, far more solid than Desmond had seen him yet for a Greeting like this. Desmond glanced at his own hands, and for the first time, saw just how immaterial he was; more transparent than he'd ever been before. He wasn't a firm presence here, and it surprised him exactly how much that _hurt._

William, if he noticed, didn't mention it. "Hello, Desmond," he said warmly. He was smiling in a way Desmond couldn't recall seeing in _decades_ before his death, a light in his eyes that spoke of eagerness.

Desmond nodded back at him. "Dad," he murmured, because to him, William was still his father - the only one he'd ever known. For all he knew, William had had tons of children in the lives he'd lived - William hadn't ever shared any of his memories with Desmond.

There was an awkward beat before William nodded and shifted away to greet someone else, and Desmond finally looked around at where they were. They were all gathered in a hospital room, more souls packed into the space than could actually fit in the physical room, and Desmond knew almost none of them. His mother was laying in the bed, a heart monitor beeping softly in the background. She looked older, and he knew he shouldn't be surprised, but he was. She was thin, and pale, with more grey hairs than not. She looked less severe despite that, however, though her face held lines that betrayed the fact that it was only the fact that she was sleeping that made her seem so.

Her death was so simple, so quiet. There were no killers, there was no blood. Between one breath and the next, she passed from the world of the living into theirs. William was at her side, helping her out of the bed, with an expression on his face that Desmond wasn't sure he'd ever actually seen before. A tenderness and a fervor he both hadn't known the man was capable of, nor had known or experienced himself. More shocking to him, was his mother's reaction; she had the same look about her, a smile on her lips like Desmond hadn't ever seen - she seemed younger immediately, and the two held that private gaze for a few moments before another woman approached Mary and embraced her. William stayed by her side as she greeted a few others before Desmond was finally before her.

"Desmond," she murmured with a small smile, and pulled him into a hug. "I'm proud of you," she added, then let him go. And just like that, he felt the pull to return, to leave the physical world. He glanced to his father, and William nodded.

For a moment, he fought the sensation, though he knew he couldn't linger. But Mary didn't seek him out again, and he was bitterly hurt by that for a moment before he remembered that he'd had all this time, and not once had he looked in on her at all. He hadn't even known she'd been sick.

Immediately, the fight left him and he let the world fade around him.

========

Desmond never saw his mother again, but William did find him to bid him goodbye before the two left to be born on Earth again. Desmond knew without being told that they were hoping to reunite in their next lives; that this hadn't been their first life together, and probably wouldn't be their last.

He tried not to be bitter, tried not to let the hurt linger, but it was difficult. They were the only parents he'd ever known, and only rarely had he ever felt any connection to either of them - and the strongest one at that was after his father had died. Perhaps, he wondered, they had given so much of their love to each other over their lifetimes that they just hadn't had very much left to give to him in his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part is more bitter than sweet, and doesn't necessarily reflect my headcanons regarding Desmond's parents, but once I'd thought of it, I couldn't write it any other way for this fic. What can ya do?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A tiny bit of Shaun/Desmond in this chapter, since that is the pit I live in. ; 3 ;

Of course, out of everyone Desmond wanted to wait for, Shaun was the one who would make him wait the longest. On the one (nonexistent) hand, time didn't exactly _exist_ here, but on the other, he was still aware of it on some level.

It was thirteen years after his mother's death that Shaun finally joined them.

========

When Desmond finally felt the pull to Earth again, he knew it would be the last time - for this lifetime, at least. He was fairly certain he was going to reincarnate, if only because he didn't want these to be the only set of memories he ever had. It hadn't been an awful life as things went - he'd met plenty by now who'd had far worse - but it hadn't exactly been a happy life, either. Was it really so wrong to want something a little more for himself?

He arrived at the same time as Rebecca, which surprised him - this was as close as he'd come to arriving first for anyone. And he was exactly as solid as she was, which... to be honest, surprised him a little. He'd known Shaun exactly as long as he'd known Rebecca, but he hadn't arrived this early for her, nor had he been solid like this for anyone but his father. There had always been something about Shaun that arrested his attention, and the weeks between waking from his coma and dying at the pedestal had seen them grow closer somewhat, but... they hadn't really had time, had they? Not to get to know each other as Desmond had wanted. Even when he'd been alive, he couldn't exactly define what he wanted from Shaun, where he'd hoped their growing friendship would go. And Shaun hadn't ever said anything, either, though there had been a few moments; silences that neither felt the need to fill, glances that lasted a little too long, small touches that had never been necessary but always welcome.

Desmond had wanted to wait for the crisis to pass before he said anything. If it hadn't worked out, well, he could go somewhere else for the Assassins, couldn't he? But if it had... Well. It was useless to go over the what-ifs, wasn't it?

Rebecca grinned at him immediately, flinging herself into his arms. "Hey, Des," she said, sly. She didn't need to say 'I told you so'; he could hear it just fine.

"Hey, Rebecca," he murmured, pulling her close briefly before looking around.

They were in a small room with a table, two chairs, and only a single door; it felt a lot like a cell. Shaun was pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath. He hadn't actually changed all that much - his hair was a little shorter, his glasses were a different style, but he wore the same sort of shirt and trousers as before, though he didn't have the vest at this point. Desmond couldn't make out anything he was saying, but Shaun's expression betrayed both anger and unease.

Other souls started arriving, including two people who had to be Shaun's parents, judging by their ages, plus the resemblance he could see in the man's jaw, the woman's eyes. They weren't as solid as Rebecca, as Desmond himself, but were more solid than others, even greeted a few warmly.

Rebecca stayed close to Desmond as they watched Shaun pace across the table from the door. She fidgeted, and sighed, and Desmond put his hand on her shoulder to calm her. "He'll be alright," he said quietly, and Rebecca laughed.

"Des, we're here because he's about to die!," she whispered back.

"And then he'll join us, and be alright," Desmond explained, and she smiled.

"Yeah. I've missed him," Rebecca murmured.

"Me too," Desmond said, but only just now was he realizing how true that was. He really was looking forward to this.

Suddenly, the door slammed open, and a man stepped inside. Shaun stilled, and Desmond saw why immediately. The man carried a gun in his hand, no attempt at hiding it.

Shaun actually _sighed._ "So, that's it, then?," he asked, smirk ever-present even now.

The man actually laughed. He was in his fifties, perhaps, wearing a plain sort of suit. "Afraid so, Mr. Hastings," he said. "You've caused us no end of trouble - we're not going to risk you getting away again." He raised the gun slowly, grin still in place.

"One could always hope-" Shaun began, but the man didn't hesitate. He fired again and again, and though Shaun fell to the floor after only the first few shots, the man only approached and kept firing until he'd run out of bullets entirely.

Desmond had flinched back - even his father's death had been quick and clean, and he hadn't actually seen the wound that had ended Rebecca's life. But this kind of violence was especially disturbing because it had been directed at _Shaun_ , someone Desmond associated with control, and tidiness. Even Rebecca flinched, gripping Desmond's arm tightly.

Desmond moved forward, before anyone else, as Shaun's soul started to separate from his body. Shaun moved to a sitting position first, then stood - stared down at his own bullet-ridden body. Desmond stood next to him, watched with Shaun as the man kicked his shoulder once, twice, then spat at Shaun's body and left.

Shaun showed no sign of moving yet, and the world didn't yet fade around them like it had for others. Desmond nudged Shaun's shoulder with his own. "C'mon, Shaun," he said, gently. "C'mon."

Shaun pulled his eyes away from his corpse and turned to stare at Desmond. "Desmond?," he asked quietly, then, "Rebecca?!" as his eyes moved past Desmond to the woman waiting behind him. "Oh god, then... I'm dead," he said, looking down at himself again.

"Yeah," Desmond murmured, and Rebecca moved forward to take Shaun's hand.

"C'mon, Shaun, it's time to go," she said. "There's so many people waiting to see you."

At that, Shaun looked up again, and beyond the two of them to those who waited behind. Desmond turned as well, and saw that some souls started leaving as soon as they'd been seen. The physical world faded quickly then. Shaun took a half-step towards his parents when he paused, looking back at Desmond, then Rebecca. "Are you waiting?," he asked, and Rebecca grinned, answered for the both of them.

"You know it," she said. "Go say hi."

Desmond laughed, and Shaun actually grinned at him before turning to embrace his parents first. They'd been close at one point, he knew, before Shaun's death had been faked, and he'd had to cut off contact. They lingered as Shaun spoke to others, moved closer to Rebecca and Desmond - he knew they would help guide Shaun over.

At the last, it was just the four of them to guide Shaun, and Desmond wasn't sure how he felt about that. Shaun pulled Rebecca into a fierce hug, and Desmond stepped aside to give them privacy. He could hear the murmur of their voices, but didn't try to listen to what was said.

Then Shaun tapped him on the shoulder, and actually pulled him into a hug as well. Desmond was stiff for a moment, surprised.

Shaun smacked his shoulder. "Hug me back, idiot!," he growled, and Desmond laughed, bringing his arms up as ordered.

"I missed you, too," he said, grinning into Shaun's neck.

"I...we hadn't had much time," Shaun murmured, as they parted, eyes downcast slightly. "I had hoped we would. I wanted...," he trailed off, then cleared his throat. "I liked you," he said instead, finally meeting Desmond's eyes.

"Yeah?," he asked, grin slowly growing on his face. It wasn't all that surprising, not really, but it was still flattering to hear it.

"Yes, you ass," Shaun bit out, but he was smiling, too. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too," Desmond said, and held out his hand. "C'mon. Let's go," he said softly.

"Yeah," Shaun said just as softly, and he took Desmond's hand, squeezing it briefly before he held his other hand out to Rebecca. She took it in turn, and they all turned towards Shaun's parents, who were waiting a few feet away. A final smile for each other and they all began walking, leaving the earth behind.

========

The thing is, once Shaun had joined them, Desmond was done waiting. All the people he'd wanted to see were with him now - or had been here and had passed on. Clay himself buzzed with anticipation, and Rebecca wasn't any better. Desmond had honestly expected her to reincarnate the moment Shaun had joined them - but she waited.

Shaun, surprising to Desmond - and Rebecca as well, as he found out later - had more past lives than any of them. He shared many of his memories with the both of them, but he was ready to go back before long.

Rebecca and Clay, Desmond knew, were ready as well.

Desmond found he was finally ready, too. He wanted to live again, wanted to experience everything that living had to offer - and he hoped, openly, to meet these few souls again when he was reborn. Clay, he discovered, had been waiting for him; hoped they'd be brothers, though knew the likelihood of that was low. Desmond discovered he'd like the same - he had hopes for each of them, though he didn't share them with the others. Rebecca, he'd take in any capacity, but Shaun... Well. Desmond just hoped that next time, he'd have the time with Shaun that he hadn't had before - wherever that time led them.

And just like that, it was decided - they'd queue up to live again, wait for a timely slot, take their chances at whatever the Earth had for them.

And honestly? Desmond couldn't wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked writing this a lot more than I thought I would. 
> 
> Link to the original prompt & post: [here](http://asscreedkinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/2158.html?thread=12172142#cmt12172142)

**Author's Note:**

> All parts are available on the kinkmeme, but I'm cleaning and editing a little as I post. I'll add the link once the last chapter's posted. :3


End file.
